The invention relates to a clutch/brake assembly for use on a lawnmower or other powered equipment.
Clutch/brake assemblies of the type described herein are commonly used on devices such as riding lawnmowers and small tractors. The clutch/brake assembly allows the user to selectively engage the clutch to drive auxiliary equipment such as a lawnmower blade, snowblower screw, etc. In addition, the clutch/brake assembly provides a brake mechanism that stops the rotation of the auxiliary equipment when the user disengages the clutch. Thus, the clutch gives the user full control of the rotation of the auxiliary equipment.
Due to the limited size of lawn tractors and riding lawnmowers, the mechanical components such as the clutch/brake assembly and the engine are made as small as possible. However, the clutch mechanism must be large enough to efficiently transfer the engine power to the blade or other driven accessory without wearing excessively or failing.
The present invention provides a clutch/brake assembly including a plurality of disks that engage each other to transfer the rotation of a drive shaft to a driven shaft and associated an output pulley.
More particularly, the present invention provides a clutch/brake assembly including a pair of input disks movable between a braking position and a driving position and a pair of output disks movable between a braking position and a driving position. The assembly further includes a housing including a braking surface and a biasing member biasing at least one of the output disks against the braking surface of the housing to resist rotation when the disks are in their respective braking positions. An actuator assembly is operable to substantially simultaneously disengage the output disks from the braking surface of the housing and sandwich the input and output disks together in the driving position such that the input and output disks are coupled together for rotation by the frictional forces therebetween.
In preferred constructions, the input and output disks are movable axially relative to one another. A plurality of biasing members bias the disks toward the braking position.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a brake/clutch assembly comprising a housing, an input shaft supported for rotation relative to the housing, and a plurality of input disks connected to the input shaft. The assembly also includes a plurality of output disks rotatable relative to the input shaft. The plurality of output disks are selectively engagable with the plurality of input disks. At least one of the plurality of output disks is selectively engagable with the housing. A biasing member biases the at least one of the plurality of output disks into engagement with the housing. The assembly further includes an actuating member operable to move the input disks into engagement with the output disks and to simultaneously move the output disk out of engagement with the housing.
In preferred constructions, the input disks and the output disks are positioned to intermesh with one another when engaged.
In yet another construction, the invention provides a clutch/brake assembly comprising a housing, an input shaft supported for rotation relative to the housing, and an output device supported by the input shaft and selectively rotatable relative to the input shaft. The apparatus also includes a plurality of input disks coupled to the input shaft and axially movable relative to the input shaft and to one another between a braking position and a driving position. The input disks including a plurality of drive surfaces. A plurality of output disks are coupled to the output device and are movable axially relative to the output device and to one another between a braking position and a driving position. The output disks including a plurality of drive surfaces and a brake surface. An actuator member is operable between a braking position and a drive position. When in the braking position the brake surface contacts the housing and when in the drive position the drive surfaces of the input disks contact the drive surfaces of the output disks such that the output device rotates in conjunction with the input shaft. A biasing member biases the output disk brake surface into contact with the housing.